Gortin Presbyterian Church (1859)

The Revival movement is progressing rapidly here since its commencement, about four weeks since. There have been up­wards of 400 cases, accompanied by physical manifestations. In the Rev. Matthew Logan's congregation alone, which is the smallest, there have been, up to the present date, 116 cases of conviction, accompanied by prostration. Those who have taken an interest in watching the progress of the movement here, are fully persuaded that the number of quiet conversions far exceeds those accompanied by prostration and that nearly all cases of conviction end in true conversion. The physical manifestations continue. On Thursday, the 4th inst., at a meeting in the Presbyterian Church, Gortin, there were eighteen cases, and at a meeting in the same place, on Sabbath last, there were upwards of twenty cases of prostration. At a meeting in a house near Gortin, on Monday last, there were eleven cases of prostration.

From ‘The Revival Newspaper,’ Volume i, p35, August 27th, 1859.

The good work is still progressing steadily in this locality. The meetings are not, however, so large on week-day evenings as formerly, on account of the harvest operations being proceeded with, and the Protestant population being sparely-scattered over a large district of country. I am sure that as soon as the harvest is over, the week-day evening services will be better attended than ever, from the deep impression which the Revival movement has made on all classes. The physical manifestations have decreased, but the great work of sinners turning to God is progressing as rapidly as formerly. The change effected on the great mass of the Protestant community is truly wonderful. As remarkable instances of this: There were two marriages lately in the neighbourhood, and the guests, after attending the wedding in the morning, were at the prayer-meeting in the evening; formerly, on such occasions, the guests remained drinking all night. What is still more re­markable is the change that has taken place at wakes. A respectable Protestant farmer died in this neighbourhood on the 28th August, and instead of the disgraceful scenes which usually take place, there was praying, reading of Scripture, and singing; the religious services not ceasing for the two days and nights of the wake. The number attending this wake was so great, that on the evening of the 29th they had to go out to an adjoining field to pray and sing, during which time a young girl, a daughter of the deceased, was brought under conviction of sin, and I hope savingly converted. This has been the means, I believe, of doing a great deal of good; the exclamation of all who attended was, What a change! I have known several families between whom a deadly feud existed, and where the members would not speak to each other, who are now on the best terms. In the neighbouring districts of Cappagh, Glenelly, Corick, and Newtownstewart, the work is progressing rapidly, and at nearly all the meetings in those districts, there are large numbers of convictions, accompanied by prostration.—From a Correspondent.